Let’s get it over with: this show is about vampires. I know, I know, the whole vampire craze is way overblown, but put aside your current attitude towards vampire dramas. “True Blood” isn’t remotely similar to those preteen-y love stories that make you want to lose your lunch.

We enter this futuristic drama where humans have known about the existence of vampires for two years. Many vampire secrets have been revealed, and there’s an entire culture surrounding them. The Japanese have invented a blood supplement called TruBlood, which satisfies all of a vampire’s nutritional needs, and comes in a variety of flavours like O-, B+, etc. Fang-bangers, or humans who let vampires feed on and have sex with them, are a new phenomenon, and there are tons of negative stereotypes that surround them. Vampires in the media are fighting for vampire voting and marriage rights, while drug dealers everywhere are selling vampire blood or “V” to a new generation of addicts looking for heightened senses, impressive strength, magical hallucinations, and an incredible sex-drive. Religious (mainly Christian) officials make frequent television appearances to help the public see their point of view: that vampires are the Devil’s children and need to be killed off as quickly as possible. Media wars between vampires and religious figures comprise almost all of TV programming, and assassinations and murders are frequent. These aren’t the kiddie, virginal, animal-feeding vampires you’re seeing nowadays. No sparkling skin or rings that let you walk in daylight here. These bloodthirsty-yet-somehow-civilized vampires follow all the rumours and myths to a T, right down to sleeping in coffins.

One of the dynamic themes in the show is the recurrent feeling of history repeating itself. How many past wars have been fought over segregation? How many times has the Church controlled segregation by using the Devil and Hell as a scare tactic? Traitors, suicide bombers, and the training of secret armies bring war to countries that formerly prided themselves on being peaceful nations of freedom.

Set in a small, southern town called Bon Temp, the life of our leading lady, a telepath named Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), is turned completely inside out when a vampire moves into town. Sookie, however, is drawn to him because she can’t hear any of his thoughts, and finds it peaceful and relaxing, as her telepathy has prevented her from being close with men because of the vile things she can hear them thinking about on dates. After she saves the vampire, Bill Compton (Stephan Moyer), from some humans trying to steal and sell his blood, they become inseparable–at least after dark–and get caught in a steamy romance that makes Edward and Bella look like naïve, whiney children. Sookie’s boss and not so admirer Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell), along with her best friend Tara Thornton (Rutina Wesley) and womanizing brother Jason, worry about her safety. They think Bill sees her as nothing but a “blood-bag”, and will throw her away the second he gets bored. The rest of the town shames her for befriending a vampire.

The best part about every character in the series is the depth they have. Every character is both good and evil, and there is a very thin boundary in between the two that is constantly challenged and crossed. By the end of the second season, there are over ten main characters that are each so complex that it’s hard to believe they aren’t real people. There’s so much emotional appeal that you even feel sorry for the enemy when something bad happens to him.

Every action-packed second of this R-rated show squeezes in so much emotion, sex, and gore that by the end of one episode your whole body aches to watch the next. From fight scenes to sex scenes, the show is so artfully directed that you’re putty in its hands. You will swoon, cry, scream, wince, sit at the edge of your seat, and get hot whenever it wants you to. It’s a perfect show for adults and young adults alike, whether you want romance, action, sci-fi, or mystery. “True Blood” has me smitten, and I’d take Bon Temps over Forks any day.